


Online

by boomsherlocka



Series: Alternate Meetings [4]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-23
Updated: 2015-10-23
Packaged: 2018-04-27 18:01:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5058412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomsherlocka/pseuds/boomsherlocka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock makes a dating profile for a case. John makes one for fun.</p><p>Another alternate meeting AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Online

Sherlock had created the profile ages ago for a case, finding his client’s husband soliciting sex from young men at a stunning rate. He had filled out his profile truthfully, sure that it would not draw any matches.

Sure enough, he had received no hits. He had not uploaded any pictures of himself, defaulting instead to a rather mundane shot of the London Eye from below. Since the end of the case the profile has drifted from his mind. He had better things to draw his attention.

That was until he received an email from the site, informing him that he had received a ‘wink’ and a private message. He deleted the email without reading it, but after a moment’s consideration he retrieved the email from his trash folder.

He surprised himself by remembering the password to the dating website. He clicked the flashing red notification and there was a short message from a man called John. His profile image was of a blonde man with a faraway smile looking into the middle distance. Sherlock tapped his fingers lightly on the keys of his laptop as he read the words.

_I find myself returning to your profile over and over again. Maybe hoping you’ll add more? Or that it will tell me you’ve been active within the last couple of days. I’m probably sending this into the ether, but here goes. I’m John Watson. A pleasure to meet you._

Sherlock clicked on the thumbnail of the man’s picture, and it played a quick slideshow. John Watson had three pictures of himself on the site. One was him in a warzone, smiling up into the camera in his fatigues with a rather large gun lying in his lap. The next was him standing next to a rather short blonde woman who had to be his sister, arm in arm. John was in a tuxedo and his sister was in a white dress. Wedding, then.

Sherlock clicked back over to the picture of John Watson in his fatigues. His throat went dry as he pulled up the chat window again.

**_You’ve not met me, John Watson. Though I suspect you would like to. Recently returned to London, have you?_ **

It took a few hours for John Watson to respond. Sherlock felt his stomach jump at the soft chime of the notification.

_Well done, yes. Just back._

_And you can call me John._

Sherlock smirked at the screen.

**_Afghanistan or Iraq?_ **

**_And the name’s Sherlock Holmes. Pleasure._ **

John and Sherlock talked all night, their responses rapid fire. Sherlock caught himself laughing out loud more than once, shifting the position of his laptop more than once to keep his thighs from overheating. John was the first to beg off, saying he needed to get some rest as he was off on a job hunt in the morning. Sherlock wished him good night, then before John could respond he typed out:

**_I am in need of a flat mate. Meet me for lunch tomorrow and we can discuss it. I’ll send along my telephone number._ **

John’s response was excruciatingly slow, and Sherlock considered taking back the offer.

_A bit forward of you. We’ve only just met._

Sherlock scoffed, narrowing his eyes at the words.

**_We haven’t met, John Watson. Which is what I am suggesting we do tomorrow. You are in need of a flat, and I am in need of a flatmate. I don’t see the issue._ **

This time the response was much faster.

_Yeah, alright._

Sherlock couldn’t stop the grin on his face.

**_Excellent. The address is 221B Baker Street. There is a café next door called Speedy’s. We can meet there._ **

John replied with his affirmative, and Sherlock signed off for the evening. Perhaps he would live to regret asking a bloke he’d met on a dating website to move into his flat with him, or perhaps…

…Perhaps he had made the greatest decision of his life. Only time could dare tell.


End file.
